Koneko
by Sesshomaru'swench
Summary: Sesshomaru's stubborness costs him dearly...or does it?
1. Default Chapter

Sesshomaru sat alone thinking of his feelings for a certain demoness that had come into his life, he know he loved her, but he couldn't tell her that, that would make him look weak. So he sat in his library now, after just having yelled at her and wrote a poem that described how he really felt.

_**Bottled Emotions**_

_Kiss me gently, hold me close  
You're the one I want to hold.  
Let me hold you dear  
Let my love for you be clear.  
My heart aches to hold you  
My mind wants to know you.  
I look at you and want to cry,  
I cannot name the reason why.  
I've held my emotion in a bottle, until now  
The way you've set them free, Tell me how!  
You cannot understand what you've done to me  
But one look in my eyes and you see  
My troubled thoughts deep inside;  
This cannot be!  
No one has ever been able to read me  
Yet here you are beside me  
And I love you dear,  
But I cannot tell you, what you wish to hear._

He read it and realized how true it was, before turning to throw it into the fire, he could never let her know. He walked out of his library and to his bedroom to sleep for the night, he never noticed the pale hand that reached into the fire and pulled out the poem. The demoness sighed after reading it and threw it back into the fire, "If that is how you truely feel, goodbye, by dearest Sesshomaru."

She wrote a short poem of her own just for him,

_**My Heart Beats for you**_

_Eyes deep and dear  
I shudder when you're near  
I feel that I might drown  
Within their watery depths.  
Your skin is soft  
Beneath my hand  
Not dark but fair as porcelain.  
Your lips are soft and gentle  
Yet demanding in a kiss at least within my dreams  
Your hands along my skin  
Feels like pure bliss, even when they aren't loving.  
When I'm with you  
My heart races,  
My blood heats,  
It is for you that my heart beats,  
And it shall to my death._

And under it she signed it, "And tonight it shall stop beating, for I know your love cannot be given, think of me when you look at your bottle of emotions. Think of me always when you feel loves pain, My Love always, Koneko. P.S. As one last gift to you, I shall rid you of the thorn in your side, Naraku."

She left it on his door as she walked out under the stars, she would get rid of the pest called Naraku before she died. She followed the scent as fast as she could fly until she found his lair, Kagura raised an eyebrow, but let her pass, she could care less what happens to Naraku. She walked in and didn't wait, but attacked as soon as he saw her. They fought for hours, until their wounds were finally too much, Naraku laughed sadistically as he summoned the last of his miasma, "Now you die."

"And so do you."

She pushed through the miasma, letting it tear at her skin as she wrapped her arms around him and let her powers wrap around them. With the last of her strength she destroyed each demon that made up he being and with her last breath she said the name of the one she loved. "Sesshomaru."

At the break of Dawn Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands awoke in a sweat and went to get something to drink.....it was on his way out of his room that he found the poem on his door. "Oh, no!" He left as quickly as he could, transforming into his dog demon form to run faster, he had to make it.

He reached Naraku's castle to find most of it destroyed and one pile of demon meat sliced to bits, alone with one demoness that wasn't breathing or moving at all. He was too late, because of him hiding his feelings she was gone, her face looked oddly peacful, with a small smile tugging at it's corners. Silver eyes that were glazed over in death looked lovingly up from the ground towards the direction of his castle. _/I was her last thought.....me, after everthing I've done wrong......I don't deserve to live, but I don't deserve to die with her either./_

An old seer from the nearby village looked at him, "Lord Sesshomaru, do not think foolish thoughts, you may yet see her again, and maybe next time you will tell her how you feel."

"What do you know old woman?"

"Reincarnation, my Lord, Reincarnation......but you'd have to start mending a few things now to be able to see her again."

Sesshomaru thought about it and it was after that that he began helping more people, not being so distant from everyone, it was then that he opened his eyes and everytime something came along and he wanted to go back to his old self, the image of her laying on the bloody ground, for him came to mind and he kept at it always thinking, "we'll meet again, Koneko."


	2. Chapter 2 Birth of Zetsumei

Author's note, nothing is ever as it seems. And who said the story was over?

On a bloody battle field in the mountains a silver haired cat demon's claw twitched with a flicker of life, weeks of laying on the ground and living off of whatever happened to crawl by; her silver eyes opened. She was weak, but by going into the near death state she stayed alive, the only problem was who was she and what was she doing by the ruins of an old castle? She stood and looked down at her tattered clothes, she was fithy, hungry, and weak. Not to mention the only thing she did know about herself was that she was a demoness. She staggered through the forest until she came to the first village, there she found and killed a cow for something to eat. Afterwards she made her way to a small stream and cleaned all the dirt off of her until her hair shinned in the sun. _/How did I survive something so horrible that it took out a castle?/ _

She walked over to a stone that had kimono's drying on it and stole one quietly before continuing on her walk, she didn't know where she was going, but somehow showing up naked did not seem to be the way to arrive. Her ears twitched with the noises from the villages nearby and the sounds of the forest. Everything felt odd to her, but not a lot of things can feel right without the memories of your past. At the next village people openly stared, several were afraid, but an old miko named Keade seemed to sense that she meant no harm. She even offered her kindness, "What be ye name, child?"

She tilted her head this way and that way thinking, "I can't remember."

Keade's eyes widened, "Ye have forgotten?"

That's when Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Kagome, Kirara, and Shippou walked into the hut. Inuyasha sniffed and looked at her funny, "You were dead....."

She looked at him with wide eyes as Keade turned to regard him, "Ye know her?"

"She was the one that killed Naraku.....her body was left at his castle when we finally arrived, but we couldn't find the jewel shards. How are you alive?"

"I.....I don't know."

"Don't give me that....Answer me!"

She cringed and Kagome took pity on her, "Inuyasha Be Nice."

"Feh, I'll be nice when she tells me the truth."

She lowered her head and Kagome glared at Inuyasha, "SIT BOY!"

......Inuyasha ate dirt, "What was that for?!"

"Now Apologize!"

"For what?!"

"She's obviously confused about everything and you yelling at her isn't helping! She has no memories Inuyasha......can't you sense that?"

Inuyasha looked up into silver eyes and an image flashed in the cat demon's mind of eyes so similar and yet cold. Those eyes made her so sad that tears blurred her vision and that's when Inuyasha actually sat up and looked at her with concern, "Don't cry, please?"

"Your eyes......your eyes make me sad.......and I don't know why."

Kagome looked at her, "What about them makes you sad?"

"I don't know.......but it hurts.......it hurts here." She put her hand over her heart and squeezed tightly.

Keade hugged her gently, "It's O.K. child, it's O.K. we'll help ye remember.....won't we?"

They all nodded, never realizing that demons could show such strong emotions. "So what do we call you until you remember?"

She looked around at the shadows thinking of a name, "Zetsumei, since that is how you found me before." (author's note: Zetsumei means death.)

A month later

Zetsumei joined the hunt for the shikon shards, or what was left of them, oddly the large shard that Naraku had disappeared when he died. But the thing that made them all wonder the most was when she touched her first shard and it purified. That's when Kagome began wondering if she was really a full demon or a half demon that didn't know what she was truly. "Inuyasha....I've been thinking, does Zetsumei smell like a half demon?"

"Actually no, she smells like a full demon.....a very powerful one too.....but she doesn't act like one....does she?"

Zetsumei was in hearing range and that's when Sango and Miroku saw her ears droop. They looked at each other, wondering what she was hearing that they could not, she stopped and waited until Kagome about walked into her, "Here, I thank you all for your kindness, but I need to go now."

She handed Kagome the jewel shards that she had before turning to leave, "Why are you leaving?"

"You've all been very kind, but nothing is helping me remember......but somewhere deep in my mind, something is telling me that I don't want to remember.....the only problem is, my heart is telling me that I need to remember. I have to find my memories, I know now that I need to and for a month I've tried to believe the lie that I would remember by being with people that never knew me before the battle on the mountain, it's time to admit the truth, at least to myself. Thank you all so much."

In a flash of silver she was gone before anyone could make so much as a sound, the group looked at each other before following slowly in the direction she had gone.

In the Western Lands

Lord Sesshomaru sat at the dinner table with Rin and Jaken his mind still swirling with images of her peaceful face, amongst the blood and mud. Rin didn't even speak, sensing that her Lord was thinking and did not want to be disturbed....Jaken on the other hand wanted to talk to his Lord about where a certain cat demon that he had actually come to like being around had disappeared to. "Um.....My Lord?"

Sesshomaru's head jerked up, "What is it Jaken?!"

"N...nothing."

Silence ensued again, "Jaken get Rin ready, we're traveling somewhere."

"May I ask where my Lord?"

"No, you may not, just do it."

Just because he had become nicer to humans did not mean that he was nicer to demons and it showed in his treatment from everyone from Jaken to the other Demon Lords. Jaken did as ordered and they set out at a slow pace moving through the lands. It was a week later that Sesshomaru caught a semi-familiar scent as well as the scent of his half-brother and that little group he always travels with. Sesshomaru smirked as the thought of tormenting his brother drove some of the darkness from his thoughts. He had Jaken and Rin stay at their camp as he made his way to the Group, it did not take long for Inuyasha to sense his brother. "Sesshomaru, What the HELL do you want?!"

A silent figure in a nearby tree watched, tingles of recognition racing through her veins. "To kill you once and of all Little brother."

Everyone could tell that Sesshomaru had literally been through some form of Hell as his mask of indifference was replaced with one of true malice. The fight started as it always had, but Sesshomaru seemed truly changed by something as he began fighting more like an assassin, with his claws glowing green he went for a death blow, only to have his hand caught by what looked like a silver ghost. His eyes widened as hers looked at him without knowing him, she looked into his eyes and cringed at the coldness, "I know you....." was all she said before the first tear escaped.

Sesshomaru reached for her with his other hand and she jumped back as if he'd meant to kill her, "Koneko?"

"No...no....no......no......NO I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER! IT HURTS!" She clutched her chest desperately, her own claws ripping at her skin as she ran away from him.

"KONEKO WAIT!"

She shook her head and kept running, leaving a confused Sesshomaru and an enlightened Kagome behind.

Words echoed in her mind, trying to force the memories to surface now that he had said her name,

_'Eyes deep and dear  
I shudder when you're near' _

"No no, shut up shut up I don't want to remember!"

_'I feel that I might drown  
Within their watery depths.'_

She sobbed and ran faster as the words kept forming from her last note to her Lord....... 

_'Your skin is soft  
Beneath my hand  
Not dark but fair as porcelain.'"_

"Please make it stop!" _'Your lips are soft and gentle  
Yet demanding in a kiss at least within my dreams  
Your hands along my skin  
Feels like pure bliss, even when they aren't loving.'_ She fell to her knees next to a river just outside Keade's village, her tears joining the water. _'When I'm with you  
My heart races,  
My blood heats,'_ "No more, please no more." Keade heard her cries from the village and began making her way to the river. _'It is for you that my heart beats,  
And it shall to my death.' _

The tears stopped, but her body still ached with pain, both emotionally and from images of a battle.

_'And tonight it shall stop beating, for I know your love cannot be given, think of me when you look at your bottle of emotions. Think of me always when you feel loves pain, My Love always, Koneko. P.S. As one last gift to you, I shall rid you of the thorn in your side, Naraku.' _

The memories of the final battle with Naraku, Sesshomaru's name on her lips, and lastly all the times that Sesshomaru had said that he could never love her flooded her mind. With a long scream all of her memories raced back in on her and with them she began running again, she did not want to ever see him again, ever, but where could one hide from a powerful Demon Lord?


	3. Chapter Three: Something Snaps

**Chapter Three: Something Snaps **

The answer was...nowhere; anger, hurt, sorrow, and true pain built within her as Kaede stopped at the edge of the clearing. Koneko's eyes bled from silver to black, her pupils elongating to white slits. Her ears flattened and fluffed, and seemed to grow to look more like kitsune ears than cat, her tail bristled and twitched angrily as her aura pulsed to black. Her fangs lengthened and sharpened, nicking her bottom lip.

Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and the rest of the group stopped just out of the clearing, stopped by the shear power of her aura. Their eyes widened at the sight of her and her voice came out darkly, "NO MORE!"

Her energy crested and as the light went down, a true demon stood in the clearing its eyes gleaming darkly in the sunlight. Sesshomaru took a step forward, only to freeze when those cold eyes landed on him, "Koneko?"

She laughed darkly, "Wrong......I AM ZETSUMEI." Her claws flexed menacingly as she stepped closer to him, her walk seemed more seductive until she stopped in front of him with an evil smirk on her face, faster than any of them could react, she was gone, leaving Sesshomaru with deep bloody gashes down his chest and an openly surprised look on his cold face.

"Now, she's acting like a full demon."

Kagome scowled at him, "Inuyasha, now is not the time. We don't know what she may do... what if humans get in her path? What would she do?"

Sesshomaru's voice came out calmly as his mask of indifference slid back into place, "She'd kill them...without a second thought."

Everyone looked at him with wide eyes, "But she likes humans!!!"

"Correction she as you knew her liked humans, even as I once knew her...but now she is acting more like a Demon Lord..and an angry one at that. She won't hesitate to kill anything that gets in her path."

He began walking to the South, where her scent was strongest and after a moments hesitation the others followed, "Neh, Kagome?"

"Yes, Shippou?"

"You don't really think she'd hurt anyone do you?"

"I don't know Shippou." She shook her head sadly, "I just don't know."

Miroku and Sango walked slowly behind them worried about what their newest friend would end up doing in her present state of mind. They silently grabbed each other's hands and walked a little faster to keep up with the group.  
They had walked almost 20 minutes before they stumbled upon the remains of several demons. Demons that had been slaughtered...only one had managed to survive, but not by much. It laid on its side under a small mound of other slain demons. Sesshomaru uncovered him and leant down, "What did this?"

The demon coughed up blood before wheezingly answering, "A...a...fe...female...n...neko...youkai...her...p...power...c...called...to us...our fault....shouldn't....have...tried...to force..." His voice faltered as his eyes rolled up into his head and he exhaled his last breath.

"It was her."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, I didn't think she's be...so....sadistic. This is more Sesshomaru's style."

"My Lord?"

"What is it, Jaken?"

"That was young Lady Koneko...was it not?"

Sesshomaru stopped and glared down at the small toad youkai, "Yes, Jaken that was Koneko."

Jaken pulled back some, surprised by his lord's sudden anger. Rin walked next to him and took his hand, "But what has made her loose control?"

Sesshomaru kept walking as Inuyasha looked at the toad, "He won't answer you Jaken, because he IS the reason."

Jaken stopped mid-step, "B...but, m...my Lord?" A small idea formed in his toady little brain, "You...refused her...didn't you?" Sesshomaru kept walking, "And to think that I thought you were wise."

Sesshomaru froze, "How dare you speak to me like that!"

Jaken held his lord's angry gaze steadily, "Because my Lord, it is the truth. You could have had a powerful mate...and as a bonus one that loved you unconditionally AND on that you at least had somethings in common with. My Lord, I regret to say...you were down right foolish."

Everyone stepped back, waiting for Jaken's imminent death...that never came. Sesshomaru released a ragged sigh as he looked at him, "You're right...this is my fault...because I thought love was a weakness."

Rin released Jaken's hand and hugged Sesshomaru's leg tightly. "My Lord...love isn't a weakness," Rin said in her cutest little voice, "it can be a great strength...it gives everyone a reason to keep going."

Sesshomaru looked down at her and patted her head gently, "I see that now." He turned to the group, "Lady Kaede, watch after Rin for me.......please."

"As ye wish." She took Rin's hand and began walking back towards the village. "Come child, and we will get ye something to eat."

Inuyasha stepped up to his brother, "What are you planning to do?"

Sesshomaru looked up, his eyes not quite are guarded as usual, "I don't know yet."

Inuyasha shook his head and sighed, "Let's go then, between us, we might be able to think of something to stop her."

Kagome smiled lightly, "After all she is our friend."

Shippou stood up proudly, "Yeah...besides I'll do it for her rice cakes!!!"

Miroku chuckled, "I must admit I'd miss those...but I'd never abandon a friend in need."

Sango squeezed his hand, "Yes, it goes against the demon slayers code."

"So we're agreed, whatever it takes?"

They all nodded and Sesshomaru gave them a curious look, "You're still willing to help her even though she may try to kill you?"

"Sesshomaru, she's our friend."

"Friend....I do not understand you Inuyasha."

"Somehow, I didn't think you would. You can't trust anyone enough to let them be your friend...let alone five them your heart...Now let's go save Zetsumei."

Miroku, Sango, and Shippou climbed onto Kirara and rode, while Kagome rode on Inuyasha's back, and Sesshomaru ran with them, leaving Jaken to run after them in a large cloud of dust. "You know Inuyasha that Zetsumei isn't her real name don't you?"

"...You said her real name that was...something that started with a K..."

"Koneko."

The smell of blood reached their noses as their speed increased...they ran into another clearing to find demons strewn across it and many more trying to kill a silver haired cat demon...that was laughing as she slaughtered them. She was down to five demons, seemingly teasing them as she dodged their blows and laughed while slicing her claws through them.

She finished off the demons and turned menacingly to the group, a low growl escaping her throat as her claws flexed. Inuyasha looked back at everyone, "Remember, we don't want to hurt her," he thought for a second, "but don't let her kill you either."

They spread out as her tail flickered angrily and her black eyes followed their every move, the growl slowly getting louder with every passing second. Sesshomaru took a deep breath before he tried to attack, only to have her dodge and retaliate with a slash at his sides. Jaken through the trees, into the clearing, and right into her leg. She jumped back and hissed at him before returning her attention to...the bigger threats.

Jaken watched as she played with the others, after all the demons she'd fought...she only had two scratches on her. Her sinister laughter echoed in the empty forest as the smell of blood polluted the air. As she leapt up, Jaken used his staff to send fire at her and it hit its target. The skin on her arm blackened as she turned to avoid the biggest part of the fire and a shrill scream of pain escaped her as she landed and turned to glare at the toad that had caused her pain. She stalked towards Jaken and his pulse flew into his throat, "L...L...Lady Koneko?" She stopped and only Jaken saw the brief flash of silver within her eyes before she turned away, back to the others. Jaken took a deep breath, "Forgive me, my Lady."

He sent a stronger blast of flames at her, this time completely scorching her back, but at her pained cry he automatically stopped. Her silver hair splayed over both should, having narrowly been missed by the flames, as she turned and sent him flying into the forest.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha ran to grab her...only to have her jump out of their paths...and have them rum into each other head first. She landed with a hiss of pain as she kept her attention on the group. Sango looked to Miroku, "What do we do now?"

"I don't know....what CAN we do?"

"If Kaede was here...we could put a submission spell on her...what about a sacred arrow?"

"No offense Kagome...but you aren't exactly the best shot...and she's moving extremely fast."

Inuyasha got sent flying into the center of the group, "DAMN IT! SHE SHOULDN'T BE THIS STRONG!"

Sesshomaru stood face-to-face with her almost four feet apart and staring at her eye-to-eye, almost afraid to blink as they circled each other. Deep laughter from the woods made them jump apart and everyone turned to see the Demon Lord of the Southern Lands, Lord Doragon. "Well, well, what have we here? A lovely, powerful demoness, fighting Lord Sesshomaru, a half demon mutt, a kitsune pup...and three humans...not a fair fight if you ask me." He flexed his own claws as he gazed hungrily at Koneko, "I can kill you all...and claim my prize."

He turned glaring eyes to the group before attacking Sesshomaru quickly only to have his hand caught by Koneko's mere centimeters from Sesshomaru's heart. She growled as she crushed his hand, "I BELONG TO NO ONE!"

She brought her other hand up and through his chest, mutilating his heart. She pulled her hand back and licked the blood off slowly. Inuyasha went to grab her...only to end up face first in the dirt as she jumped up. Kirara swatted at her, successfully knocking her off balance enough for her NOT to land on her feet...

_**DEEP WITHIN KONEKO'S MIND**_

The Koneko everyone knew and loved sits in the darkness. Her own memories locked away from her.

**She doesn't know why**

**  
**She sits there crying  
And doesn't know why.  
Silently sobbing,  
But she doesn't know why.  
Her shoulders shake with grief,  
And she doesn't know why.  
Tears cover her face  
But she doesn't know why.  
People ask her why she cries,  
She doesn't know what to tell them  
Because she doesn't know why.  
The sky darkens with her tears  
And she doesn't know why.  
She mourns for something or someone,  
But she just doesn't know why.  
She just sits and cries  
Sometimes she no longer cares  
Why she doesn't know why.

_**BACK IN REALITY**_

Inuyasha managed to grab her from behind and held her tightly while she fought against him, her feet kicking at him, her claws tearing at him, and her teeth trying to bite him.

"Sesshomaru, Do something!!!"

His mind screamed at him as the demoness she'd become fought to free itself and deep with in his mind he heard her voice softly, from when they'd read together crying within the prison of her own mind. From his heart another poem formed and this time regardless of who was there listening he spoke it to her,

"In the darkness of my mind  
I hear your voice calling,  
Full of love  
Full of sorrow  
You've lost all hope for tomorrow.  
I look into your angry eyes  
I see the loneliness there within your heart.  
My beloved I am sorry,  
Forgive me for what I have done.  
Without you there's no reason to awake  
With the morning sun.  
Come back to me and I will vow  
My eternal love, until the end of time,  
Only for you."

_**WITHIN KONEKO'S MIND**_

Silver eyes looked up into the darkness as a sad familiar voice echoed around her, "S...Se...Sess..."

_**BACK IN REALITY**_

_  
_Sesshomaru closed the distance between them, pressing their bodies together. "Release her Inuyasha."

"Are you out OF YOUR MIND!??!"

"If she kills me, I deserve it...now release her."

"Miroku...was it just me or did Sesshomaru just recite a very sweet poem?"

"He did...but if we wish to live....I don't recommend us ever mentioning it again."

Inuyasha released his hold on her as Sesshomaru's arms went around her. Her claws dug into him as he lowered his head to hers, "Forgive me for my foolishness....Koneko." He sealed his lips over hers, tasting wild strawberries in her kiss.

_**BACK IN KONEKO'S MIND**_

_  
_"SESSHOMARU!!!"

_**BACK IN REALITY**_

_  
_The dark aura around her dissipated as she brought her hands up to cup his cheeks and her eyes closed. The others watched her body return to normal...She opened silver eyes and smiled tiredly at him, "I was right..."

Sesshomaru raised on eyebrow elegantly, "About what?"

_"Your lips are soft and gentle  
Yet demanding in a kiss" _

Sesshomaru actually chuckled as she rested her head against his chest....and fell asleep with a soft pur emitting from her throat. He looked at the others, "Come, we will return to your village now....and let her rest."

They turned to walk away as a small voice called out...."Um...My LORD!!!? Could you possibly help me our of this tree?"

They all turned back around to find Jaken.....upside down....with his robes over his head.....and a small loin cloth covering him. Inuyasha smiled...."I'll get him down....you go ahead and head towards the village...." The others nodded as he started towards the little toad, "Hey Jaken...remember when you tried to steal my sword....and all the times you've bugged the hell out of me?" Inuyasha's voice went sinister as the little toad shivered, fearing for his life....Inuyasha jumped up and slashed the tree branch...making Jaken land on his head with a solid thump..."Now we're even," he laughed as he lifted the him by his robes and carried him back towards Kaede's village.

There we go not to bad, hope it was worth the wait, please review if you thouroughly enjoyed it.


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